French commuters face 12th day of transport strike over pensions
December 16, 2019, 10:12 am

French commuters face 12th day of transport strike over pensions

People ride bicycles and walk in the rain in Porte de Vanves in Paris, on December 16, 2019, during a strike of Paris’ public transports operator RATP and of the French state railway company. (AFP)

French commuters endured a twelfth day of misery on Monday as the government and unions traded blame for a crippling transport strike over a pensions overhaul that has put holiday travel plans at risk for thousands.

Some 630 kilometers (390 miles) of traffic jams clogged Paris and its suburbs during the morning rush hour, nearly double the average levels, as most metro lines were again closed or operating just a handful of trains.

Across France, just one in three high-speed TGV trains and one in four regional trains were running, though most cities were not enduring the chaos seen in the capital.

“Until now I’ve been working from home or taking my car,” a man who gave his name as Francois told AFP at the Saint-Lazare station in Paris, saying he had left home at just before 5:00 am.

“But the car is no longer an option, because of the cost but also because it’s exhausting.”

Unions plan a fresh day of mass demonstrations on Tuesday and insist the government must abandon planned pension reforms that they say could force millions of people to work longer before retiring.

Mass walkouts are again expected by teachers, hospital workers and other public employees as well as by lawyers protesting over plans to introduce a single pension system that would do away with 42 separate regimes.

The government has said it is willing to negotiate, in particular a “pivot age” of 64 that would grant rights to a full pension, but has defended a key project of President Emmanuel Macron’s wide-reaching reform drive.

“Going on strike is legitimate, but you can also respect events like the year-end festivities,” Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne told France 2 television, saying it would be “irresponsible” of union leaders to “ruin vacations.”

Rail operator SNCF has already warned that unless the strike ends in a few days, it will not have time to get service back to normal by December 25.

“We’re going to try to make miracles happen” for the Christmas holidays that begin on Saturday, SNCF’s Rachel Picard told the Parisien newspaper over the weekend.

“If the government drops its project and we start serious talks on how to improve the system... everything will be fine,” Philippe Martinez of the hardline CGT union said Sunday. “Otherwise, the strikers will decide on what to do on Thursday or Friday.”

source: AFP

Philippine court dismisses case seeking $3.9 bln of Marcos wealth UAE’s Gargash warns against weakening the OIC

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”